Fujisaki Nadeshiko as Mulan
by lizathon
Summary: The responsibilities of a young woman in imperal Japan were many, but a strong few chose to follow their hearts. A revamp of the movie. Tadeshiko Rimahiko Kutau Amuto and Kaiya. Read and Review please
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara or Mulan.

"Ugh I can't do this!" Fujisaki Nadeshiko slammed her head on the desk in dismay. There was no way she would be able to learn all this stuff mere hours before meeting with the matchmaker.

"That's minus ten for speaking without being spoken to", Rima said as she jotted down notes on a scroll. Amu smiled sympathetically at her friend. Saeki Nobuko was the most accredited match maker in the land. If one were to get on her good side, they were sure to end up married into an influential family and to live comfortably, much like how Rima got matched into the ever prominent Fujisaki family. She was to marry Nadeshiko's older twin brother, Nagihiko in the coming spring.

"Look, just get it down. You don't want to end up a spinster or with some loser. Your goal is a samurai, soldier, or a daimyo's son. Just kiss the bitch's ass, then come home and rant about it!" Utau lectured. Nadeshiko, Rima, Amu, and Yaya stared at the older girl in awe, wondering how she ended up promised to Souma Kukai; a young soldier from a family in high standing.

"I lied", the blond said, reading their minds. "And that's what _you_ are going to do this afternoon", she said looking sternly at Nadeshiko. The girl ran her fingers through her long purple locks.

"Minna, if I get married, I want it to be for love. Even if I get matched to a good family, what's the point if I don't even like the man?" she asked.

"Minus fifteen for stating an opinion when not asked for one and a 'wrong' one too" Amu noted. It was grinding the pinkette's beliefs into the dust, but she was doing this for Nade's good.

"Damn it!" Nade shouted.

"That's minus five for cursing", Utau chastised, clucking her tongue in disapproval.

"I know that YOU are not penalizing ME for swearing", Nadeshiko said in utter disbelief.

"She's already matched. She can do whatever she wants", Rima quipped. "Oh, and minus ten for questioning a figure of authority".

A depressed aura surrounded Nadeshiko. She was going to ruin her family, she could sense it.

"Yaya is glad she doesn't have to see the matchmaker for another year. Nobuko-sama is scary", the ginger haired girl said. "But Yaya can't wait to marry a samurai!"

"Yea, I still have a couple of months too. Thankfully it's done by birthday", Amu said, earning a cold stare from Nadeshiko, who was still in her emo corner.

Suddenly Fujisaki-dono came through the door. He smiled affectionately at his daughter and her friends.

"Good afternoon Fujisaki-san", Rima said politely. He beamed at the girl.

"No need to be so formal Rima, call me dad, you're gonna be family soon".

"Hai otosan (dad)".

"Nadeshiko, are you _still _here? Your mother and baaya are waiting for you in town!" he said.

"It's that late already! I'm dead! Wish me luck, bye", Nadeshiko said while running out the door.

"That's minus two for lack of punctuality", Yaya said, though she was already gone.

Fujisaki-dono sighed as he watched his only daughter run down the stairs two at a time. Was this really the future of the Fujisaki family? He turned to the four girls still populating his house. "Crazy girl", he said shaking his head and smiling lightly. "Will she…be okay?" he asked not knowing how else to put it. They all seemed to give the question serious thought until Utau answered.

"She's pretty and rich. If she doesn't open her mouth everything will go perfectly".

"Um Utau-chan, did we tell her that?" Amu asked. An expression of horror came across the blondes face. She stuck her head out the window.

"NADE IN YOUR INTERWIEW DON'T TALK OKAY! JUST SMILE AND NOD A LOT!" she shouted her advice out the window.

"OKAY", the purple haired girl yelled back. Rima smiled. She really hoped her friend would do okay.

"I'm going to go see Nagi", Rima said, excusing herself from the room. Fujisaki-dono's face lit up. Nagihiko! At least he had one normal child…well except for the fact that he had fallen ill recently, and showed no signs of recovering soon.

"I think I'm going to pray some more", the man said, wondering if he had done something to upset the deity that blessed him with such…_interesting_ children.

When Nadeshiko made it into town square, her mother was standing in front of the beauty parlor with an incredibly crossed expression on her face. "Of all the times to be late", the woman said reproached.

"But mom I was-"

"None of your excuses. Now come in, come in. You don't know how hard I worked to get you this appointment", the woman lectured. Nadeshiko held her tongue, heeding Utau's advice already.

"So this is the young lady", the beautician said, emerging from behind curtains in the back of the room. She grabbed Nadeshiko's face and scrutinized every detail of it. The woman then smiled. "Oh she's gorgeous. This won't take long at all".

Soon two other women entered and proceeded to force Nadeshiko behind the curtains where they washed her hair, and then forced the long purple locks into a complex bun and held it together with a jade hair comb. They covered her face with white powder, and painted her lips red. An ancient form of black eyeliner was applied.

They dressed Nadeshiko in a purple silk kimono with gold cherry blossoms printed on it.

"You're ready", Nadeshiko said, doting on her precious daughter.

"Not quite", said Baaya who had been watching silently the whole time. She walked over to Nadeshiko, almost glowing with pride.

"An apple for serenity…a pendant for balance", she said, sticking a yin and yang charm in her kimono. "And it also makes your chest look big", the older woman laughed.

Nadeshiko's mother pulled a necklace out of her pocket. "Beads of Jade for beauty, I wore these when I met your father", she said while slipping them around her neck.

Baaya came once more with what looked to be a caged cricket. "This cricket's a lucky one! Her name is Temari. Even you can't mess up with her around", she said attaching it to the back of her kimono. "Now hurry. The matchmaker is not a patient woman". She handed Nadeshiko a purple umbrella and pushed her out the door.

Nade looked at the cricket incredulously. It was magenta and seemed to have kind eyes, almost like it was human. "You're gonna help me, right Temari. Help me not make a fool of myself or uproot my family tree".

Temari chirped once and seemed to nod her head. The act almost said _trust me. _

A/N: Well this is a Tadeshiko fic, because we need a lot more of it! There is also Rimahiko, Kutau and eventual Amuto and Kaiya! Read and Review please!This story isnt going to be completely like the original Mulan. There will be many twists so please bear with me :)


	2. Reflection

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara or Disney's Mulan

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko", Nobuko-sama called after looking at a scroll.

"Present!" the girl called as she came forward.

"Speaking without permission", the woman noted. Nadeshiko inwardly cursed herself, Utau had just told her to keep quiet and nod.

The woman led Nadeshiko inside where they sat on opposite sides of a table. After about five minutes of silence Nobuko looked up. "There is something about you I don't like".

Nadeshiko gulped. She really had no way to respond to that, even if she wanted to. More silence. "Pour the tea", the matchmaker instructed. Before she could do so, Nobuko grabbed her wrist and stared at it.

"Too skinny", she noted. "Not good for bearing children". Nadeshiko struggled not to point out that Nobuko should be the last person in the world to talk about someone being too anything when the woman herself had the figure of an Easter egg.

"Now tell me", the matchmaker said. "What is your duty as a woman?"

"My duty is to…find my true self and serve my country while following my heart", Nadeshiko recited the mantra.

"Wrong. Completely erroneous! Where did you hear such foolishness girl?" the woman barked. Nade cringed inwardly. What she had recited was a pact she made with her friends years ago.

"The duty of a young woman is to bear children and to please one's husband and in laws. Your 'true self' and heart are of no consequence".

This angered Temari. How dare this creepy shrewd spinster destroy the dreams of young women? They were just as entitled to chase their desires as a man. The cricket intended to show the matchmaker exactly how opposed she was to her teachings. She did this by using the woman's tea as her personal hot spring.

"What would you do if you found the Huns in your house?" the matchmaker questioned.

"Um kill them?" Nade said unsurely. What kind of question was that anyway?

"Chivalrous but no; you should run immediately to get your husband".

Nadeshiko nodded obediently while thinking something along the lines of _'anti-feminist bitch'. _Nobuko's head snapped up and Nade feared she said it out loud. "Nadeshiko, have you gone to school and if so for how long?" she questioned.

"Up until last year, that's as high as the school went", the girl explained. Nobuko rubbed her temples.

"Don't go around telling people that. Most men want ignorant women. They tend to be more virtuous", she said. Nobuko then sniffed her tea and smiled contentedly.

Nadeshiko sighed in relief. Controversial as her ideas were, she at least knew how to act the part of a proper lady, and tea ceremonies happened to be her specialty. She was sure that everything would go swimmingly until she saw two antennas sticking out of the cup.

"Um, Nobuko-sama", she started.

"Be silent child", the woman ordered.

Nadeshiko crawled up on the table in an attempt to snatch Temari from the cup; unfortunately Nobuko looked up at the same time. "Let go!" Reflexively, she did just that and in result the contents of the cup splashed all over the already furious matchmaker.

"Why you clumsy bitch! Wait…is something burning?" In her anger, the matchmaker failed to realize she had been sitting on a stove. She jumped up. "You useless girl help me!" she shouted.

"Okay", Nadeshiko said in feigned innocence. She began to fan the flames, and they only got bigger, as she knew they would. Nade knew that anything she did at this point wouldn't better or worsen the situation so she decided to have some fun with it.

"Put it out! Put it out!" the woman howled in agony. Nadeshiko rolled her eyes. People could be so dramatic. She threw the rest of the tea onto her and stifled a laugh as her (excessive) makeup slid down her face. Temari smirked as she slipped back into her cage.

"You…YOU ARE A DISGRACE!" Nobuko shouted. "You may look like a bride, and you may be a Fujisaki but YOU WILL NEVER BRING YOUR FAMILY HONOR!" The door was slammed in Nade's face leaving her to reflect with half the village staring at her.

She walked the streets looking at the ground, with tears streaming down her face. She'd done it again. They were all banking on her; her parents, her friends, Baaya, and all she did was prove to be a bigger disappointment than any of them accounted for. At that moment, she desired nothing more than to be hit with a cart. Her wish was only half fulfilled when she ran into something…or someone.

And this someone had very fast reflexes, catching her by the waist before she hit the ground. She looked up; it was Hotori Tadase, a friend of her brother's. He was good looking, kind, and of a decent family. She would have probably ended up with someone like him if she didn't screw up so badly. This thought only made her cry more.

"F-Fujisaki-san, you're crying…what's wrong?" he asked. Nadeshiko sniffled. His beautiful eyes were sparkling and she felt herself become enchanted.

"Please don't shame yourself by looking at me", she said, returning her gaze to the ground. Tadase turned her head to face him.

"Fujisaki-san, it honors me to gaze upon one so beautiful", he said. Nadeshiko was puzzled. Why on earth was he being so nice to her? Surely he must have known what has just taken place.

"Hotori-kun, I am not worth your compliments", she said humbly, trying once again to divert her eyes from his handsome face.

"Oh, so you do remember me. In that case, please allow me to escort you to your home", he said, completely ignoring her previous comment.

Amu looked out the window and saw Nadeshiko walking with a boy. "Damn Nade, she has suitors already". Utau, Rima, and Yaya came to the window.

"Oh it's Tadase-kun! Aww they make such a cute match! Yaya wants to congratulate them!" the girl said. Utau nodded and the four rushed downstairs.

"Arigato Hotori-kun", Nadeshiko said while waving the boy off. He smiled at her.

"See you around, Fujisaki-san", he said with a wink.

"Oh my god he's sexy!" Amu said. "I knew you had nothing to worry about".

"Were you matched already or is he just a suitor?" Utau questioned.

"Yaya thinks Na-chi should pick Tadase! They would get married and have cute blonde and purple haired kids!"

"Maybe we could have a double wedding", Rima offered shyly. Suddenly Nadeshiko started tearing up again, leaving her friends stunned.

"Why is Na-chi crying? Are they tears of joy?" Yaya questioned.

"I know he's not the best but Tadase isn't THAT bad", Utau teased. Nadeshiko rubbed her eye and turned from them.

"No, I'm not engaged to Hotori-kun and I won't be to him or anyone for that matter", the girl said darkly.

"W-what do you mean?" Amu asked. She hoped it wasn't as she feared.

"Minna, I just want to be alone for a while", Nadeshiko said. She walked away and locked herself inside her family's shrine. She stared at herself in the mirror and wiped half the makeup off. She was supposed to be a beauty, a trophy wife, nothing more than a simple transaction to benefit her family.

She failed at that purpose…badly. But even if she hadn't, she wouldn't have wanted. Nadeshiko knew she was meant for more in life. But unfortunately her reflection didn't show who she was inside.

A/N: This is chapter two! I told you it was going to be a little different than the original but I hope you still like it! Review Please!


	3. Decision of Destiny

Disclaimer: I dont own Shugo Chara or Mulan.

Nadeshiko sat on a bench near the koi pond behind her house. The Sakura trees were in full bloom. "Hotori-kun", she said softly as the last of the tears ran off her cheeks. For some strange reason she couldn't seem to shake the blonde boy out of her head. She contemplated what she would do with her life. She was a great dancer, and charming. A career in kabuki theatre was always an option, not that there was much thrill in that.

And there was always the possibility of becoming a geisha…she shuttered. Never in her life would she stoop that low, even though what young women of class were subjected too in that era wasn't much of an improvement. Almost exactly like geisha, most girls were simply sold off to the highest bidder. Nade couldn't picture herself living that kind of life.

"What are you pouting about now", a voice asked. Nadeshiko looked up at her twin.

"Oh, hi Nagi", she said softly. She was unable to look at him. "So you heard about the matchmaker huh?" Nade asked with a sigh. The long haired boy chuckled.

"Who hasn't? All the girls from here to China think you're a hero". Nadeshiko brought her knees to her chest and then rested her head on them.

"This isn't funny! That stupid hag could have just ruined my life!"

Nagihiko raised an eyebrow at this. "She may have her ways but Saeki Nobuko is the smartest woman in this village. She matched me to Rima-chan", he explained. Nade gave him an exasperated look.

"I'm very happy for you and Rima-chan but this isn't about you!" she said. Her patience had all but run out.

"You didn't let me finish", he said. "She also matched my friend Kukai to Utau-san. They fight like cats and dogs now, but later, they'll be okay. What I'm trying to say is that even if she did match you to someone you wouldn't have been happy. A person like you was meant to create their own destiny".

Nadeshiko raised a skeptical eyebrow. "When did you get to be so smart?"

At this time Nagihiko's smile faded and his eyes fell downcast towards the ground. "Well it's probably because lately all I've been able to do is sit and think", he said. There was a subtle hint of sadness in his voice.

"I'm sorry", Nadeshiko said.

"So am I", was his defeated reply.

When her brother had fallen ill about a year prior, Nadeshiko probably took it the hardest. Because of this she resolved to pretend that he hadn't, and for her sake he had done the same so the awkward moments like this that occurred all too often were basically inevitable.

Temari chirped at Nadeshiko almost to say 'how insensitive' in the secret language of insects. After this she made a point of jumping out of her cage and onto Nagi's head where she nested in his hair fondly. "And who is this?"

"Baaya's little escape artist", she replied sharply. She was still rather cross with the cricket for her earlier antics.

Suddenly, a loud drum blared and large flags from the imperial palace could be seen from miles away. It was a signal to call the people to town's square.

"What's this about?" Nade questioned. Her brother shrugged.

"It's probably an update from the war. We should check it out", he advised. When the twins got into town they parted ways to meet up with their respective friends.

"Yaya has a bad feeling about this", the ginger haired girl said shakily. For once, no one had any objections to what she said.

"Attention everyone", said a man on a black war horse. It was Nikaidou Yuu. He was one of the emperor's chief advisors despite him being a blundering fool most of the time. If he was there to give an announcement personally, something serious was about to occur. The townspeople murmured amongst themselves for a while before dying into an anxious silence.

"The Huns have invaded Japan". After this statement, he paused for the fearful chatter. "One man from every family must join the imperial army. You will all report to the second training camp in Kyoto", he continued. Another man in uniform handed him a scroll and then he started calling family names. No one really paid an attention until it got to someone they knew.

"The Tsukiyomi Family"

A boy with midnight blue hair and eyes stepped forward. He locked eyes with Amu, making her blush before taking his scroll and disappearing back into the crowd.

"Nee isn't that Utau-chi's brother?" Yaya asked. The blonde nodded.

"They don't look anything alike huh Amu-chi?" the younger girl asked but the pinkette was preoccupied with reminding herself of how much she didn't believe in love at first sight.

"The Souma family"

The redhead stepped forward with a slight smirk on his face. He wasn't at all concerned by the fact that he was going to war and not on vacation.

"No", Utau whispered almost inaudibly. Though no one realized it, not even her until now, Utau felt a strong connection to her fiancé and the prospect of anything happening to him sent pangs of worry to her chest. "That idiot can't go to war h-he's too stupid", the blonde stammered.

"It has to be done", Rima said softly, though she sympathized with the girl.

"The Hotori family"

"Hotori-kun", Nade whispered as the blonde boy stepped forward. She couldn't possibly picture someone as kind as gentle as him in the heat of war.

"Poor kid", Utau commented. "Probably won't last a day".

"Yaya doesn't think he'll make it". Nadeshiko rolled her eyes at this. It annoyed her when people underestimated Tadase because of his kindness even though she was just worried about the same thing.

"The Fujisaki family"

Rima's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "I-I-Is he out of his damn mind" she stammered. The worst case scenario had been running through her head since the decree had begun but now they were flooding her thoughts nonstop.

"It has to be done", Utau mimicked the girls cold words to a tee.

"Not if I have anything to do with it", the tiny girl said curtly before stomping away.

"I want to hear how this ends", Amu whispered. Nade nodded her head.

"I'll tell you the details tomorrow".

With all the talk of war almost everyone had forgotten about Nadeshiko's catastrophe with the matchmaker. The remainder of the evening was generally uneven until the purple haired girl heard an argument in one of the halls of her grand estate.

"You know you cannot do this", Rima's voice was always soft but in the hushed dispute it was even harder to make out.

"It would be my honor to fight for my country, for my family. For you Rima-chan" he replied. Nadeshiko had never heard her brother sound so serious.

"What good will honor do you if you're dead!" Rima asked harshly.

"To know that you're not all killed off by the Huns", he replied.

Rima sucked her teeth. "Baka!" she said before storming angrily down the hallway, this was her way of making sure he didn't see her crying. Nadeshiko had to duck behind a tall plant not to be spotted.

At this time, Rima started crying miserably on the floor of one of the linen closets. By now Nadeshiko was done eavesdropping and really wanted to leave but there was no way she could slip out without the blonde noticing.

"Nade, I know you've been there the whole time", she said quietly.

"Damn it". She knew that if Rima was known for anything besides her beauty it was her quick temper.

"Don't flinch, I'm not mad", the petite girl said softly, the tears still flowed from her eyes in waves. It amazed Nadeshiko how she could carry a conversation so well while crying so hard. It was a skill she'd have to work on.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Rima shook her head.

"No, what am I going to do now? I have nothing to go back to. Even if I wanted to find another match now it's too late", she ranted. Nadeshiko stared blankly for a moment but then made the connection. Rima had already given herself to Nagihiko. Men were petty in those days, they only wanted virgins. It was like in a restaurant. No one wanted a steak someone else already had a bite of. And considering what Nade heard the maids' gossiping about it was much more than one bite. If any man still wanted to take her it was almost certain that she'd be mistreated. But that wasn't even the pain that Rima was contemplating.

"Nadeshiko…what am I going to do without him?" she asked. She looked at Nadeshiko like a cold child would look at a blanket. The dark haired girl sighed.

"Rima I am going to fix this. And don't worry about Nagi he is not going anywhere. Just go to sleep tonight and by the time you wake up I'd have fixed everything", she promised. Rima didn't know what but something in her friend's voice made her believe it.

Late that night after everyone was asleep, Nadeshiko snuck into the separate wing in which the war equipment was kept. In one fluid motion, she pulled the jade comb out of her hair and took a sword out of a glass case and held it in front of her face. She only had to slice off four inches to get to her brother's length. She winced as her precious violet locks fell to the ground. She put on the green and black armor.

When Nadeshiko looked in the mirror, she couldn't believe what she saw. Even though they were identical twins, it never really occurred to her how much she resembled him. Before she left the house she stepped into what she called the RimaHiko room for several reasons. She took a last longing look at her brother and best friend before taking his scroll off the bedside table and leaving her hair comb in its place. And then she got on her horse and rode off into the night.

If she had no destiny of her own, then it would be to protect those who did.

A/N: I updated! Finally! Soo sorry people but school has been kicking my butt. It's worth it though A++ ^^. Forgive me please? I'll try to update more frequently in the future. Read and Review please! Next chapter the identity of Mushu is revealed. Anyone who guesses right gets a dedication in the next chappie!


	4. Basic Training

Disclaimer: I'm baaaaaaccccckkkk! And I still don't own Shugo Chara!

For the first time in centuries, the great Kiseki called a meeting of the great chara spirit council. "The Fujisaki family had been loyal to us for many generations. What shall we do to protect their Nadeshiko in her time of need?" the king chara asked.

"Absolutely nothing!" Iru said "she brought it upon herself. Who does she think she is trying to join the army? A girly girl like her will be mincemeat!"

"That's horrible-desu! We have to help her!" Su cried.

"Hai, hai", Eru chimed in. "We must assist her in survival and romance!"

Kiseki nodded his approval. "Yes, we will do all of that. But first we must decide who to send to retrieve her".

"You should send Miki", Su chimed in. "She's the most cunning". Iru shook her head. "No, it has to be Diachi the most athletic!" she said.

"Kusu-kusu is the most fun!" Eru said. Iru kicked her in the side. "This is a war! What's fun gotta do with it!"

"Enough!" Kiseki said. "For this mission we must send the most powerful chara of all!"

At this one chara looked up. "You didn't have to ask me twice! Just tell me what I have to do, and it'll be done faster than lightning. I am the great dragon! And if anyone wants to mess with the Fujisaki's I'll…"

"Not you Rhythm!" Kiseki chided. "You are no longer a guardian. The last time you and that sister of yours had a mission, you ruined everything!" at this Rhythm looked down dejectedly. As punishment for their last escapade, Rhythm was only frozen in stone, his sister however, was transformed into an animal and cast out of the Royal Garden temple altogether. He hadn't seen her since.

Kiseki cleared his throat. _She _was a delicate topic for him as well, seeing that they were once lovers. Banishing her was the only thing he could have done to protect her from execution. Of course she didn't know that, nor did anyone else for that matter, and he would never get the chance to reconcile with her. "Anyway Rhythm, the guardians will protect the families and you?" he asked.

"Ring the gong", the once mighty chara said in a defeated tone.

"Good" Kiseki said dryly "now go awaken the great…_Yoru_", he said bitterly while thinking of how far he'd fallen. Rhythm floated out of the garden grudgingly and went up to the looming statue of a certain mischievous cat. What kind of world was this where a cat was enlisted for help instead of a dragon?

"Yo, Yoru time to wake up!" he shouted while pounding the gong. Rhythm clenched his tiny fists. He should've been out there seducing women and saving lives, not waking up some lazy black cat! "I said RISE AND FRIGGIN SHINE!" he shouted while hitting the statue with the gong. "Damn cat", he cursed. And then with one forceful blow, the great Yoru's ear came off.

Rhythm's face dropped. "C'mon…let's just put you back together", he said while trying to reattach the missing ear. This resulted in the rest of the statue crumbling…to pieces. "Why!" Rhythm shouted. "You damn cat! You have a mission. This is really not cool!" he said. "How am I gonna explain this to Kiseki?" But then he made a realization. He didn't have to explain. He would simply Make Nadeshiko a war hero, and maybe, just maybe find that long lost sister along the way. And the best part was that Kiseki wouldn't find out until he made it work somehow. Then with a new sense of determination, the chara set out to find the infamous Fujisaki Nadeshiko.

Rima sighed dejectedly. Since knowing him, she could never remember seeing Nagihiko so sad. Nadeshiko couldn't have been gone for more than ten hours, but he was still worried out of his mind, as were their parents and baaya. She smiled despite of herself and the situation and thanked Kami once more for placing her with such a loving family.

Nagi sighed and rubbed his temples. Since Nadeshiko left, he'd been running the worst case scenarios in his mind. She'd be killed by the Huns if she wasn't discovered, or killed by the Nikaidou if she was. Either way he'd lose his precious baby sister because he was too weak to fight for his nation. "Why did this happen", he almost whispered. He couldn't understand why Nade would choose to die in his place, especially when he was dying anyway. Rima placed her small hand on top of his. She couldn't stand to see him so miserable.

"Nagihiko", she said softly. "You have to stop worrying like this. It's bad for your health you know", she said eloquently, knowing it was the last thing he wanted to hear. Nagihiko was deep in thought. There had to be a way for him to save her without revealing her identity. But then he had an idea. "I'll just go in the middle of the night, switch places with her, and send her back". That was basically what she had done in the first place.

"Security will be up and you have no idea what tent she'll be in. She took your scroll remember", the petite blonde glanced at her fiancé out of the corner of her eye. His face was a bit paler than usual. "Besides, with Nadeshiko out there she might die. If you take her place you most definitely will…and then all she's done so far will be in vain. You love her too much to spite her like that". Nagi spared her a questioning glance.

"Why are you so smart?" he asked.

"Because I met you", she said with a smirk. "And so has Nade. She'll come back. And if she doesn't I'll just bring her back to kill her again for making me look stupid". Nagi sweat dropped. At the end of the day she'd always be his chibi devil.

Nadeshiko sighed. She had been riding all night and could finally see the eastern training camp. She looked at the insignia on her blade. It said 藤崎 the emblem of her family, but still, it wasn't hers. It was true that they were twins, and alike in every aspect aside from gender. But he was a warrior, trained for battle, and she was at most a dancer. This was different from just creating some ambiguous identity. She was portraying someone who actually exists. If she dishonored his name even a bit, her whole façade would be destroyed, and besides that, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

So she decided to step inside of his head for a while. Hmm…what did boys think about to begin with. Fighting? Girls? Food? She had no clue. "How does this sound?" she asked Temari. "So, how about these swords huh? Aren't they manly? We can hurt people with them and…"

The cricket seemed to be laughing its wings off. Nadeshiko flicked her. "I'm trying okay!" she whined. She lowered her head. She was going to ruin her brother's reputation. "What am I doing here?" she sighed.

"That doesn't sound very manly you know!" A voice said. Nadeshiko turned around and saw a blue cloud of smoke. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Who am I? WHO AM I? I am the powerful, the pleasurable, the indestructible Rhythm! The great Shugo Chara council has sent me to protect the Fujisaki family in its time of need! Show some appreciation!" he said. Temari's antenna stood up on end at this. She couldn't believe he was here, but he couldn't know who she was yet. The small cricket chirped unintelligibly. Things were about to get a lot more interesting.

A/N: Yes, I finally updated. I know it took me awhile but things came up. I am so sorry. Please Review and I will try my best to update more frequently.


	5. The Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara, Mulan, or any related characters.

Nadeshiko walked slowly through the rows of tents. There were hundreds, literally in many different styles. Some were just ratty brown pieces of cloth, odds and ends from peasant's clothes held up by sticks. Others however stood tall made from fine fabrics in royal colors and donned the imperial flag. A man wouldn't notice the craftsmanship of their living quarters, but the current problem would be that Nadeshiko was not a man. She looked down at the scroll in her hands and read it for about the sixtieth time since arriving.

_Fujisaki Nagihiko_

_Second Training Camp: Kyoto_

_Rank: Trainee _

_Status: Noble_

_Assigned Tent: 36DCF28_

She stopped walking and looked up. "Where the hell, no **why **the hell is tent 36DCF28! This is more difficult than street directions! If they really wanted to keep the damn Huns out everything would be like this!"

"Well at least she can swear like a man," Rhythm commented from his place perched on Nadeshiko's neck.

"Would you get off my neck!" she snapped. "Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just tired; I've been riding a horse all night, my ass is sore. Look, all I want is to find my tent. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She paused, looking around for a person who looked friendly enough. "Maybe I should just ask for directions."

"Aw man," Rhythm said. "You were getting it with the anger a minute ago, but now you're all womanly again. That's not cool. Men never ask for directions. That'll give you away in a second. You'd be better off wandering around all night."

"I couldn't imagine that," she said dryly as she began walking again.

"There you are," a voice sounded from behind her. Nadeshiko's heart stopped. She couldn't be finished already. She turned around slowly. A calm relief found her, followed by anxiety. It was Souma Kukai. He was kind and she'd probably be okay with him around but on the other hand he was Nagihiko's best friend. One misstep and he'd see through her before anyone else.

"Yo Fujisaki, what are you doing over here? Food line?" he asked. Nadeshiko nodded. Though she only wanted to find her room, dinner sounded like a good option.

"Yea, what tent did you get?"

He unrolled his scroll. "That would be good ole 36DCF26. Two down from yours I think." Kukai noticed the horse and cargo behind the person he thought was his friend and then back at his own casual attire. "Got in a little late there? That's not like you Nagihiko. You who never let me miss a single minute of school," he said grudgingly.

Nadeshiko wracked her brain frantically for something her brother would say. "Bravado," Rhythm whispered. "Guys relate to that." Somehow the words just came to her.

"Well you know it took some time to get Rima-chan off me. You know how those girls are," she said.

Kukai sighed. "Yea, I know."

"Did Utau give you any memorable parting gift?" she questioned in her brother's light mocking tone that was used on her relentlessly over the years.

"If by that you mean she threw my helmet at me and screamed _I hope I never see your stupid face again!_ Then yes it was very memorable."

"Passive-aggression," she commented absentmindedly. It was one of Utau's ruling traits.

"What?"

"It's something girls use to make sure they're always right…Nade told me." She cringed. It was still too strange referring to herself in third person. It made her feel like Yaya to a certain extent. But she would have to learn. Her very survival depended on it.

"You intend to do what? The entire country can depend on this. Sir, please reconsider you decision!" Nikaidou exclaimed.

"Nonsense, Kairi is very capable. He finished the academy with top marks and besides that he has real experience and an impressive military heritage," said General Sanjou.

"B-but he has no experience in real warfare! How could you expect him to be ready for the Huns?" The general gave him a steely eyed look that made the pompous man want to jump out of his skin.

"I expect you Nikaidou to see to it that he and his troops are prepared for battle. Your future position in the imperial court will depend on the results."

"But g-general!"

"I'm heading off now. That will be all Nikaidou, you're dismissed. Kairi – Captain Sanjou I mean, good luck son."

Kairi bowed deeply and held a rigid position. "Yes general, I will not dishonor you." After watching his father ride off, he went into the camps to survey the first troops that would be his to command. He braced himself before looking, knowing that they were novices so he couldn't have overzealous expectations but even so, they were disappointing. Boorish, undisciplined, and much too carefree. He had been charged with turning a group of young men into a military company. But first it seemed he would have to turn boys to men.

A/N: I know, I know not the best comeback but I had to get this down before I can continue. The next chapter should be considerably better (longer too) and it will be posted relatively soon since I'll be bouncing around to my other stories trying to update those as well. I have to thank all of you for even considering clicking on this after so long, I really love all of you.


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